Results 13,161-13,180 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Other Questions: Sale of State Assets (20 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: As the House will be aware, the Government has initiated a programme of State asset disposals as part of commitments made in the programme for Government and under the EU-ECB-IMF financial assistance programme, with a view to generating resources for additional investment in job creation initiatives in the economy. Various aspects of this disposal programme have been discussed at Cabinet on...

Other Questions: Sale of State Assets (20 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: During the negotiations on the programme for Government, one of the issues that arose from the Fine Gael side was that party's plan to promulgate a share-holding entity, NewERA, which mirrored what happened in a number of progressive countries, including all of the Scandinavian countries and Britain, to get better value from State assets. I must say it has been a very worthwhile exercise....

Other Questions: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (20 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I do not have that figure with me and the Deputy should table a question on the matter. To get a figure would mean trawling across all Departments and well beyond my own Department of responsibility. If the Deputy table a question, I will see what we can do to get that figure. There was a tendency, which may sometimes have been a default position, to have consultants do work rather than...

Other Questions: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (20 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: As I indicated, it is not a uniform annual sum and much depends on what issues are being dealt with each year. Last year we hired consultants and, for example, Accenture examined procurement generally across the public service. The report was published and it indicated a sum of between €200 million and €600 million that could be saved through better procurement. Part of that...

Other Questions: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (20 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I will do my very best.

Other Questions: Public Private Partnerships Cost (20 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: In July last year I announced the Government's €2.25 billion infrastructure stimulus package, which included €1.4 billion for the first phase of a new public private partnership, PPP, programme of projects in key areas of infrastructure. Given the very limited PPP activity in the preceding few years coupled with the difficult recent period for the financial and construction...

Other Questions: Public Private Partnerships Cost (20 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: This is for total transparency.

Other Questions: Public Private Partnerships Cost (20 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Nothing, yet.

Other Questions: Public Private Partnerships Cost (20 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I am afraid retrospection will not be possible as this is to stimulate future interest in PPPs. I do not want to open a can of worms and have people come after us for projects that have been cancelled, particularly when the construction industry collapsed. It looks forward rather than back. I am anxious to get PPPs moving and it was a cause of great frustration that for nearly two years,...

Other Questions: Public Sector Staff Issues (20 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I have an open mind on how we provide services. As I stated, the criteria are what provides the best service to the public on a cost-effective basis, complies with all legal requirements and is efficient. Sometimes that will be an in-house service where there are significant skills built over time. Sometimes it will be a bought-in service because there are large private companies which...

Other Questions: Public Sector Staff Issues (20 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I agree that the issue of quality is important. It is a matter not simply of the cost, but of the quality and product one gets. I have other explanations as to why the hygiene standards might not be as robust as they used to be. From my experience in Wexford General Hospital when it was run by a matron of the St. John of God Order, I shall simply say that a tight ship was run and you...

Other Questions: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (20 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: My Department was established in 2011. A large part of the work of my Department is associated with the reform agenda plan and, as such, we have a rolling programme of work which will vary from year to year and require varying degrees of external consulting support. In the current year, this includes a number of shared services projects, in payroll, in banking, in financial management...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Lottery Funding Disbursement (20 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I have done that in another question and I am looking for it now. It is not a direct comparison, because things will be different over time.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Lottery Funding Disbursement (20 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: Is that where it is? Unfortunately I did not bring Question No. 22 with me, I did not expect to reach it. I might have it in my own notes. If we applied it precisely to the revenue declared for last year, when the good causes contribution was €225 million, it would have been of the order of €214 million. Given the nature of the gaming, my advice is that this is a much more...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Lottery Funding Disbursement (20 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: For last year, yes.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Lottery Funding Disbursement (20 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: I fully accept what the Deputy is saying. I do not want to be prescriptive about this but I must strike a balance. I do not want to grow the national lottery at the expense of those who might spending money they should not be spending. There are checks and balances all the way. I am advised that it is possible under this structure in a way that does not impact negatively on people who...

Other Questions: Office of Public Works Projects (20 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The Deputy is aware Dublin City Council is planning to develop a cultural quarter in the environs of Parnell Square. The Commissioners of Public Works have engaged with Dublin City Council on property asset transfers to facilitate this specific development. Any further information required on this key cultural project is a matter for Dublin City Council.

Other Questions: Office of Public Works Projects (20 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The OPW has no more involvement than the involvement I have outlined. I have seen the presentation and it is an exciting project for that part of the city. Whether it might be subject to other funding would fall within the general capital expenditure plan and if it made sense, perhaps on a co-funded basis if philanthropic money is available, it would be eligible to be considered for funding...

Other Questions: Office of Public Works Projects (20 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The capital budget of the OPW is quite rigid, with a large chunk of it now going to flood maintenance. It might be a cultural project to be supported by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, or an environmental project supported by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. I am writing to every Department to look for projects that might qualify for...

Other Questions: Public Sector Staff Issues (20 Jun 2013)

Brendan Howlin: The public service reform plan sets out a commitment to evaluate alternative models for the delivery of non-core services in a more cost effective and flexible approach, with a focus on customer service improvement. In July 2012, the Government agreed a range of actions aimed at achieving a focused and integrated approach to external service delivery of non-core processes with the objective...